Paper-feeding mechanism.



OQ W. COWGILL.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1911.

L1 8%,375D v Patented Apr. 6.1915. I

12 SHEETS-SHEET l.

0. W. COWGILL.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED .IULY24. 1911.

1,13%,W5D Patented Apr. 6,1915

12 sums-sum 2.

fivemiam' 0. W, COWGlLL.

PAPER FEEDINGMECHANISM,

APPLICATION FlLED JULY24, I911,

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

12 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

O. W. COWGILL.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY24, 1911.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

0. w. COWG ILL.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY24: 1911.

L W u mm 1 0. W. COWGILL.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY24 19Hv 1,184,375 Patented Apr. 6,1915.

12 SHEETS-SBEET 6.

0. w. COWGILL.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

PLICATION Patented Apr. 6, 1915 13 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

mmum

:1 i .j7 /verzifin. i

- 5 mm mm a??? 0. w; COWGILL.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JULY24. 19H.

Patented Apr. 6

12 sums-sum .Z IIIIII L IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'II IWWW O. W. COWGILL.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

AFPLICATiON FILED 3ULY24. 1911.

3L, 1 843% Patented p -*6, 1915.

12 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

, .90 I v i J Q 0.'vv. COWGILL.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. I911.

Patented Apr. 6, T1915x 0. W. COWGILL.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY24 191i.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915 12 BBEETSBHEET 1 1.

WW6]? Zafi 0. W. COWGlLL.

PAPER FEEDING MECHANiSM.

APPLICATION nuzn JULYZ-, 1911.

Pa'ilenwi Apr. 6, 1915.

12 SHEETS-SHEET 12.

said modified form. .sectional view on line 21:2l. Fig. 20.

ORPH W. GOV/GILL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OE TVJELVEGNE-HUNDREDTHS TO JACOB BONGNER, TVIELVE ONE-HUNDREIDTIIS TO OTTO F.STIFEL, TWELVE ONE- I-IUNDREDTHS TO L. H. TIEIVIAN'N, AND T'WELVEONE-HUNI REDTHS TO A. G. SOLARI, ALL OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AND TWELVEONE-HUNDREDTHS TO THE ENVELOPE MANUFACTURING COMFANY, OF ST. LOUIE,MISSOURI, A CGRPORATION OF MIS- I SOURI.

Application filed July 24, 1911.

proved paper feeding mechanism. Fig. 2 is a s1de elevational View of thesame. 1 1g. 3

is a front elevational view. Fig. 3 is a detail view 01" a means foradjusting: the delivery bands with respect to their driving mechanism.Fig. 3 is a side ele ational view of said adjusting means. Fig". 4 is anenlarged plan view of the front portion of said mechanism. Fig. 5 is avertical. sec tional view of the same. Fig". 6 is an enlarged sectionalview on line G6 Fig. 4:. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 Fig. 6.Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view on line 88 Fig. 7. Fig. l) is anenlarged plan view of a fragmentary portion of the feed in mechanism,showing the sheet separating" mechanism. Fig. 10 is a detail viewshowing the sheet separating mechanism. Fig. 11 is a sectional view online 1l-1l Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a sectional view on line 12-12 Fig. 9.Fig. 13 is a ertical sectional view looking toward the right-hand sideof the mechanism. Fig. i l is a vertical sectional view showing detailof the elevator. Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view through thesame. Fig. 16 is a side elevational view of the same. F 17 is a frontelevational view of the automatic means for separating-the J;un1min;rolls when the sheet fails to be fed or the sheets are exl'iausted. Fig.18 is a vertical sectional view through said mechanism. Fig. 3.9 is atop plan view of a modified form of feedine;- mechanism. 20 is avertical sectional view through Fig. 21 is an enlar ed V Fig. 22 is atop plan view of another modified form ozt-said feeding mechanism. Fig.'23 is a vertical Sectional view through the same.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Serial No. 640,190.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in paper feedingmechanisms, designed particularly for feeding blanks to be fed toen'velop-1naking machines, although it is obvious that my improvedmechanism is useful in connection with the feeding o'l sheets of paperfrom a stack or pile for other purposes.

My present invention contemplates the automatic lifting of the stack ofsheets to be t'ed, which mechanism is controlled by the height of thesheets in the pile, and it also contemplates the selection andseparation of the top sheet of the pile, lifting the same from the next.adjacent sheet so as to provide an air cushion thereunder, which willnot only permit its ready removal from the pile without dragging with itthe next adjacent sheet. but said air cushion also insures the correctand proper operation of theselecting fingers which operate upon saidseparated sheet to place it in position to be carried off by thetraveling mechanism.

By constructing a machine to meet the above remiirements. 1 am enabledto operate the feeding: mechanism at an exception ally high rate ofspeed, the selection and separation of the top sheet from the stack orpile being positive and certain. This is highly desirable, not only inenvelop-male mg machines, but in paper feedingmechanisms for printimpresses, and other devices, Where a regular and continuous feed ing isnecessary to insure proper and correct operation.

Vl ith these objects in view, my invention consists in the construction.arrangement and combination of the several parts, all as willhereinafter he described and afterward po nted out in the claims.

Refea'ing now to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive: 1 indicates a support shown asa casting, which may he a part of the "framing of an envelop formingmachine, or machine of other kind. 2 are side frames arranged upon thesupport 1, and forming a support for the shafts of my improved feedingmechanism. To the front end of one of the. castings 2 is secured casting3 for support ing; the mechanism identified with the automatically "l1'"ihle stack support or elevator,

- while side casting-s 4.- are arranged on each side and in front of theupper ends of castings 2 for supporting other parts of the feedingmechanism. The rear ends of castings 2 are supported by posts 5. Poweris communicated to the mechanism by means, of a belt passin on a shaft7. haft 7 is provided with a pinion 8 which meshes with a, pinion 9,geared by means of gears 10, 11v and 12 to drive a shaft 13 on whichmiter gears 14 mesh with miter gears 15 arranged on the upper ends ofvertical shafts 16. On the lower ends of shaft 16 the spurs of which fitin suitable perforations of a belt 18. This belt is preferably in theform'of a steel band, and as shown in Figs. 5,6, 7, 10, 12 and13, isprovided, at

proper distances apart, with dependent El..- shaped carrying fingers 19,by means of which the top sheet is conveyed from the pile and deliveredto the envelop or other machine to be operated upon. Belt 18 passesaround spur Wheels 20 located'at the forward end of on shaft 7, beforethe feeding mechanism, and in such relation to the stack of sheets thatthe carrying fingers 19 will, when the top sheet is lifted, engage saidtop sheet and move the same rearwardly. The rearmost spur wheels beingdriven, it is unnecessary to separately drive the forward spur wheels,as said forward spur wheels'merely act as idlers to support belt 18 inworking position. The pinion 8 referred to, also drives the pinion 21mounted on a shaft 22, said shaft, 22 being journaled in arms 23,pivotally mounted at 24 to the side frames 2. Cu

shaft 22 is a (see Fig. 18), having printing type or rubber gummingprojections 25 on its periphery edge, which coig'perate with a rotaryplaten or platens 26 extending beyond the surface of the roller 26mounted on shaft 7. This shaft is provided with a gear 28;, which mesheswith the gear 21 before referred to,

both gears being of the same diameter and provided with gear teeth whichare of such length that when said rollers are separated, which willoccur upon the failure of feeding mechanism or the exhaust of the sheetsfrom 7 is lifted, as the shaft I roller is mounted, has fixed bearingsinthe the staclgthe printing or gumming tions 25 will not the platens 26The means for effecting the separation of the rollers 25 and 26 consistsof toggle links 29 pivotally mounted to the bearings of said rollers, asshown in Fig. 18, and in the sepa ration of the rollers, only theupperone 25 7 on which the lower projecget out of registration with sideframes 2. Toggle links 29 are provided at each end of roller 25, and tothese toggle inks are connected bars 30 pivotally supported by links 31to hell cranks 32 mounted on a cross shaft 33. To one end of each bellcrank lever is connected a spring 34, tending around pulley 6 mountedarespur wheels 17,.

gumming or printing roller 25 36 (see Fig. 1) which is mounted upon the.

shaft 33, and which bar 36, when a blank is being fed thereunder, islifted so as to bring the hooked portion 30 under control of the uppertappet 37. If there is any interrup tion in the feeding of the blanks,the feeling bar 36 drops to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 18,in which position it places the lower portion 30 of the bifurcated endof each bar 30 under control of the lower tappet 38, whereby when theshaft 39 on which these tappets 37 and 38 are fixedly" mounted isoperated, the bars 30 will be moved rearw'ardly to the dotted lineposition shown in Fig. 18, straightening the toggle links 29 and liftingthe roller 25.

The object in lifting the roller 25 is to pre-'- vent the gum of theprojections 25 from being delivered to the platen projections 26 inthe-absence of a-blank, or if the projec' tions 25* contain printingtype, to' prevent said type from making a printing impres-' means of agear 43 meshing with a gear 21.

The arms 41 are yieldinglydrawn rearwardly by means of springs 44, sothat the distributing roller 40 will be held in yielding contactwith'the gummingor inking roller 45 arranged in the pot 46 containingthe gum or ink. Roller 45 is provided with a gear 46in mesh with thegear 43. The purpose of making the roller 40 yielding, is to compensatefor any irregularities in its surface, as said roller is made ofcomposition material, and the object of swinging the roller '40 from theshaft 22 is to preserve the proper relation to the projections 25.

The shaft 39 carrying the tappets 37 and 38 is provided with a rock arm47 5), and is connected in link 48 to a crank arm 49 on a shaft-50ournaled in the side gumming or printing (see Fig. i

frames 2. This shaft 50 is rotated by means of a gear 51 meshing withthe gear 8. In

this manner, at each revolution of gear 51, shaft 39 is rocked, and inthe event that a blank lies under the feeling bar 36, the lower -tcooperating wit;

end 30" of each bar 30 lies below its cooperating tappet 38, as shown inFigs. 2 and 5, and consequently the hooked upper end 30 of each bar 30is in a position to cooperate with tappets 37, whereby the toggle 29 isbroken and the gumming or printing roller lowered into operatingposition. When the feeling bar drops to the position shown in full linesin Fig. 18, due to the absence of a blank, then at the next rockingmovement of shaft 39, the hooked projection 30 is liftled out of thepath of its tappet 3?, and the lower forward ends 30 of bars 30 areplaced behind the tappets 38, so that when the shaft 39 is rocked, thetappets 38 will move the bars 30 rearwardly, straightening the togglelinks 29 and moving; them to positions of dead centers, in whichpositions of the toggles the roller will be held lifted, and

will remain so lifted until anot er blank is fed under the feelin finger36. In this positive movement 01" the bars rearwardly, it will beobserved that the feeling fingers 36 are depressed farther than theirnormal fall, as shown by thedotted lines in Fig. 18; hence whenanctherblank or series of blanks is to the machine, the first blank will liftthe feeling finger 36, break ing the toggle and placing the hookedprojection 80 in position to move the bars 80 forwardly, and drop theroller 25 in operative position.

lit will be understood that the vibrations of the tappe'fis 37 and 38are idle with respect to bar 30, except at such times as finger isdropped or lifted,

the -eedin and in this manner, when a. continuous se- I ries blanks ibeing fed between the rollers 25 and 26, the bar 30 remains unmoved.When an interru )tion occurs in the feedin 1 1 J: i an is nr has beenled between the dropping of the feeling finof the roller 25, which 0lifted until another blank or blnks iS red between the rollers.

series i he elevator which SUPPOLLS the s ck of indicated at {see 13),and plate arranged upon a u which bracket blanks comprises a bracket armc arm is secured to having clov ail groove in. its outer face, acorrespondingly shaped guiding rib on the inner face of casting 3. ifwill describe the operation of automatically raising this la but forpresent purposes, will that the stack of sheets is arranged up bear attheir l strips ug ecureid s ets to due to its movement by the pickinglingers,

asupporting casting 54 ranged at the upper ends of the guiding strips55. This forward displacement of the top blanks is also assisted bymeans of the picking fingers hereinafter described.

The side frame castings l are connected at their forward ends by meansof a cross bar l which cross-bar supports resisting members 57, whichmembers have inclined upper edges, as shown, to accommodate theforwardly displaced upper sheets. In addition to placing the uppersheets, as the elevator rises, under the control of the picking fingers,the said top sheets, or rather the lateral extremities thereof, arebrought into contact with the concave faces of buckling members {seeFig. 7), whose concavity is so disposed that it will not only cause thetop sheets to have a tendency to buckle upwardly as they are raised, butalso to buckle as said top sheets are pushed forwardly to an abnormalposition by the picking fingers. The lateral edges of the blank will bemoved beyond the restraining influence of these buckling members 60, sothat when the separating fingers move under the top sheet to carry thesame rearwardly, the said lateral extremities thereof will be free fromand pass over the buckling members and be placed in position to becaught by the conveying books 19. In Fig. 8 l have shown the concavityof the buckling members, and their efiect upon the top sheet when saidtop sheet is moved forward by the picking fingers. From this it will beobserved that the forward edges of the buckling members are narrowerthan the extreme width of the blanks, and hence as said top sheet ismoved forwardly, its lateral extremities are forced past thisconstricted opening and the buckling is thus excessive at the time thatthe picking fingers are operating on the top sheet, but only withrespect to the top sheet. it is by virtue of this buckling that the topsheet is separated from its companions, and

is placed under the control of the separating fingers.

The picking fingers referred to are preferably in the form of rubberblocks 61 (see Figs. and 9 to These blocks are mounted upon the forwardends of arms (32, which arms are pivotally mounted upon a shaft 53, saidshaft being carried by slotted rocking arms 6% liXed to the rock shaft89. T he forward or slotted ends of these arms cooperate with rollers66, mounted upon the frame 67, pivotally mounted at 63 to brackets 69secured to the inner faces of the frame castings 4. Bracket 69 has abearing 70, in which mounted the shaft of spur wheel '20, and conjoinedto this spur wheel is a side-faced cam 71 (see Fig. 1.0). The roller 72on each arm 67 cooperates with each cam 2 1, and hence the forward onusof arms 64:

ere raised and lowerec. rear endsof l30 said arms move in the arc of acircle described by their pivotal. point'of connection with the rockarms 65. The result of these motions isto impart to the picking fingersor' block 61 an elliptical path of movement, their downward and forwarddip causing them to engage to feed the top sheet forwardly, and theirupward and rearward movement restoring them in position to engage thenext succeeding blank after the top blank has been caught by the.conveying fingers 19 and moved rearwardly. In this operation of thepicking fingers, which are preferably made of rubber to give them betterfrictional contact with the uppermost blank, the buckled sheets arecaused to pu l :sate, and these pulsations force the air thereunder andavoid suction due to possible vacuums which might be created by closecontact resulting from the compacted pile of sheets. This pulsatingaction of 'the top sheets, of course, diminishes gradually as the sheetsare further removed from the top, and conversely, has a greater effectupon the sheets asthey approach the top, until finally, when the sheetis brought under the control of the picking fingers and becomes the topsheet, said top sheet has become suliiciently freed by the distributionof air thereunder and separated from the next adjacent sheet, as to bereadily moved forward up the incline of the resisting members 57.

The shaft 63 on which the picking fingers 62 are pivotally mounted, hasbracket arms 73 affixed thereto (see Fig. 18), which bracket arms carrya cross bar 74, against which the rear ends of. the fingers 62 areyieldingly drawn by means of springs 75. In this manner, friction blocks61 have yielding contact with the top sheet, which may be increased ordiminished by adjusting the tension of the springs 75. i The separatingfingers are indicated at 76, and are shown in Figs. 4 and 9 to 13,inclusive. These separating fingers have a rear- Wardly extendingshelf-like projection 76,

which is designed to pass beneath the top blank as the same is lifted upthe incline of the resisting element 57 as shown in Fig. 1147" Theshelf-like portion 76 is preferably inclined downwardly, and operates ina groove in the upper edge of the resisting element 57, so that when thesheet is moved forwardly by the picking fingers, and its forward edgecarried beyond the resisting element, and just about the time that thepicking fingers are rising to release the sheet, the separating fingers7 6 move rearwardly and carry with them the separated sheet. In thismovement, the inclination of the portion 76 tends to raise the separatedsheet and place it in position to be caught by the conveying fingers 19.As the conveying fingers 19 move at a uniform speed, it is obvious thatit-Would not be practical to bring the conveying fingers 19 against theseparated sheet while the latter is stationary. I therefore impart tothe separating fingers a differential motion which first starts theseparated sheet slowly, and then increases its speed so that when thesheet is picked up by the conveying fingers, no injury will resultthereto. The means for thus differentially operating the separatingfingers is as follows: Referring to Figs. 2, 4 and- 13, it will be seenthat each of the separating fingers is connected by means of a shank toa bail-like bar 77, which is guided in its horizontal movement by therollers 7 8 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, operating in a groove inthe rear of said side frame. The rear ends of this bar 77 are connectedby links 7 9, to,

rock arms 80 mounted on a shaft 81. This v shaft 81 has a rock arm 82 atone end, connected by a link 83 to a crank arm 84- m0unted on shaft 50.At each revolution ofthe crank arm 8% through the means just deand carryit onward. Bar 4 has on it a drag wire 85, which lies substantially overthe center of the front edge of thesheet, whose function is to hold thecenter of the sheet down while the inclined faces of the resistingblocks cause the side edges of said sheet to be flared upwardly, to becaught by the separating fingers. In this manner, the top sheet orblankis held under restraint at all times and prevented from bounding orbecoming displaced, due to the rapid operation of the machine. The frontcross bar of the bail 67 is provided with bearings, in which areadjustably mounted L-shaped bars 86, whose feet lie substantiallyparallel to the inclined faces of the resisting blocks 57,

feeding mechanism, regardless of the thick-.

ness of the sheets. In this Way, I am enabled to fecd sheets ofdifferent thicknesses, and the elevating mechanism Will be automaticallyoperated to raise the pile of sheets a distance according to thethickness of the sheet or sheets removed. Rock shaft 39-be- -forereferred to forms a pivot for a bell crank lever 87, whose forward endlies under the projection of an arm 8 (see Fig.

2), a spring 89 holding" the arm 88, which. is loosely pivoted on theshaft 89., in operative relation to the arm 8?. The lower member of hellcrank 87 connected to an. arm 87 which is operated by eccentric 8'?mounted on shaft 50. A link 90, con nected to the forward end of arm 88,extends down and is connected to a sliding bar 91, operating in a roovedguiding block 92 secured to the casting The lower end of thisreciprocating oar 91 carries a roller WLIlCll cooperates with acam-quadrant 93. A spring 94- connected to this canrqnadrant 93 tends torock the same and more the cam faces thereof over the roller on thelower end of bar 91, whenever permitted to do so by its controllingmedium. 'lnis controlling medium consists of a bar 95 Vnonntcd in theblock 92, and normally held upwardly by a spring 9. The bar 95 a rolleron its lower end which coiiperates with eccentric cam face in thequadrant In Fig. 16, the parts are normal and the roller on bar 95 liesagainst that poi tion of the eccentric face which is at the greatestradial distance from the axis of movement of the quadrant. l'lence,notwithstanding the reciprocation of bar 91, and the displacement of itsroller with respect to the cam face on the quadrant, the

quadrant cannot be operated by its spring 9%. Bar 91 is provided with apin 91, which in. its reciprocation is intended to contact with a pin 95on bar 95 and depress bar 95 Whenever the pile of blanks which controlsthe stroke of bar 91 is reduced in height. This control is shown inFigs. and 13, and consists of a post 88 mounted on the arm 88, and whoselower end coop erates with a yielding plate 86? .l g shove the pile ofblanks, as shown in Fig. el. lhe purpose of thus interposing theyielding plate 88" between the post and the pile of blanks is to preventthe arc of movement of the post from exerting a rearvmrd drag upon thetop blank. square contact with the blank, nd hence does not interierewith its ward movement under the action of the picking lingers. In thismanner, the sheet or blanks fed from the top of the pile, the heigl'itof the pile becomes gradual y d' 'nished, an each stroke arm 88 becomesle finally the pin 91* contacts and forces the l down w time that bar 95is forced do 91 is: also in its low cred position, a "when the quadrant.am is released bar it sring will move it t s c roller on the lower endof bar 91. Bar 91 will he oositively lifted by the 87 engaging the arm88', and this positive up ward movement of bar restores the quad rant inback to normal position. This rest eliccts an 1151 ward eeding the Theplate makes aelevator through the medium of pawl 97, engaging a ratchet9 99 is a restraining oined to pinion 101 in mesh with a gear mountedloosely on a shaft 103, upon which [i =t is fixed a ratchet 104. springpressed. pawl 105 on gear 102 couples shaft 103 with the gear in theraising movement of the elevator. This pawl is provided with a fingerpiece, as shown in F which enables the pawl to be re leased and theelevator lowered for the purpose c. :enewing the pile of blanks. Shaft103 has a pinion 106 conjoined thereto (see l igs. 1i which meshes witha rack 10"? on elevator frame 5%.

From the ahov it will be seen that the elevator may he lowered to renewthe pile if blanks, tion, the levator operatin mechanism will autoniationly raise the pile of blanks into proper position to be fed. If thepost 88" and plate 38 before referred to, do not contact with the pileof blanks, the quadrant cam will make a full stroke with each operationof the machine, and in this manner elevator will be, comparativelyspeaking', rapidly raised. V fhen, however, the pile of blanks reachesthe proper position so that the top blank may be separated and fed, theblanks are thin, the post might make one or two strokes withoutreleasing the quadrant cam. When the stroke, however, is 01 such lengththat the quadrant cam is released, said quadrant cam will only move suchportion of its stroke is permitted by the depressed position of bar 95.Whatever portion this is will enable the feed pawl 92' to grip a newtooth or teeth, so that the bar 91 can positively efiect the feeding ofthe elevator on its rising stroke. in Figs. 3 and 3 1 have shown meansfor securing a line adjustment of the conveying bands 18, which isnecessary to secure proper time relations of the fingers 19 with respectto the other parts of the machine with which they cooperate. 'l. hismeans of adjustment consists in mounting the pinions 15. loosely ontheir shafts, and said pinions being held upwardly in position bybracket extensions from the side frames. Collars 15 are pinned to theupper ends ofshafts 16. Each collar is provided with a slot or opening,into which extends a pin 15 from the pinions gerews 1:, threaded intothe collar and extending into the opening on each side of said pin,enable the collar, its sh spur gear 1?, together with band nsted withrespect to the pinion, n bears a fixed relation to its Die, pinion 14. ia e arings for the spur Wheels are prefznennted in such manner that theyand when the blanks are in posi- The feeling blocks 61 can be laterallyadjusted to accommodate the conveyer bands to different sizes ofenvelops, or for any other purposes.

Referring now to Figs 19, 20 and 21,

wherein I have shown a. modified form of the same as that heretoforedescribed, with the following exception: The arms 108 have no forwardand backward movement, but only a vertical movement. When the frictiondisks 110 are lowered into contact with the top blank, they are rockedby means of the shaft 39, so that the forward edges of the blank willbeforced up the inclined faces of the resisting blocks, and after theseparating fingers start to move forward, the friction disks are raisedand rocked back to normal position in readiness for another operation.By this four-motion mechanism, I am enabled to accomplish substantiallythe same results as are produced by the pick ing fingers hereinbeforedescribed.

Referring now to modification shown in Figs. 22 and 23: Ihave hereindisclosed a mechanism by which, instead of starting the top blank inadirection opposite that in which it is fed, in order to separate it fromthe pile,'I initially move the top blank in the direction of its feedand accomplish its separation from the pile. To do this, the resistanceblocks 59 are pla ed so as to cooperate with the rear edges of theblanks, and the feeding blocks 61*, which are operated by substantiallythe same mechanism as before described, with the exception that theyfeed rearwardly instead of forwardly,

' are so set that on their downward and rearward stroke they will feedthe top blank so that the lateral extremities thereof will be forcedbetween the buckling members and held buckled 'while being initially fedrearwardly. The separating fingers are spaced more widely apart thanthose heretofore described, and in their forward movement, do not passin front of the pile of sheets, but normally lie over said pile. movethe top sheet be-' hind the separating fingers, thus enabling theseparating fingers on their rearward differential stroke to pick upthe'buckled sheet and not only startit rearwardly, slowly at first andthen rapidly, but place it in position to be caught by the conveyingfingers 19. Theseparating fingersin this instance, instead of having onerearwardly extending shelf-like projection 76, are provided with sheet,

an upper shelf-like projection 76 which prevents the sheet from risingand coming into contact with the forward spur Wheels.

What I claim 1. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination ofseparating mechanism and conveyer bands for picking up the separatedsaid bands approaching said sheet in directions converging toward themedial line of said sheet, and leaving said sheet in directionsdiverging from its medial line.

2. In a paper feeding mechanism, the' combination of separatingmechanism and delivery bands traveling in horizontal planes aroundvertically disposed axes, said separating means sheets from a hands.

3. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for separatingthe top sheet from a pile, and delivery bands having fingers forengaging the separated top sheet, said fingers approaching said sheet inconverging lines and leaving said sheet in diverging lines.

1. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of picking means forseparating the top sheet from a pile and moving it bodily, feeding meansadapted to receive said separated sheet from the picking means and startit in the direction of its feed, and delivery means for carrying saidtop sheet onward.

5. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of picking means forselecting the top sheet and moving it to a feeding means, feeding meansfor advancing said top sheet in the direction of its feed, and deliverymeans for carrying said top sheet onward at an accelerated speed.

6. In a paper feeding mechanism the com bination of means for bucklingthe top sheet and moving it into position for engagement by a feedingmeans, and a feeding means for engaging said sheet and starting it inthe direction of its feed.

7. In a paper feeding mechanism the combination of a feeding means, andmeans for buckling the top sheet to permit its engagement by the feedingmeans, means for operating the fee-ding means to engage said bucklingsheet and advance it at an accelerated speed in the direction of itsfeeding movement.

8. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of a feeding meansnormally outof engagement with the top sheet, means for buckling the topsheet to place it in position for engagement by the feeding means, andmeans for moving said feeding means into engagement with the sheet andmoving the sheet in the direction of its feed at a gradually increasingspeed, and delivery means for engaging said sheet and carrying itonward.

pile and deliver them to said 9. In a paper feeding mechanism, thecoinhination of means for buckling the top sheet, and means forintermittently engaging said top sheet while it is buckled to produce anundulating action of the buckled portions thereof, distributing the airunder the top sheet and freeing it from the pile.

10. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for bucklingthe upper nost sheet and holding it iJI'lClilQll, and means foroperating upon the top sheet to produce pulsations whereby air is causedto be distributed therebetween to effect a separation thereof.

ll, in a paper feed mechanism, the coinbi; ,tion of means r buckling theuppermost sheets, and means tor displacing the top sheet ith respect tothe next adjacent sheet While said top sheet is held buckled, said i:mentioned means operating with a kneading action upon the subjacentbuckled sheets.

In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for displacing apinrality of the sheets at the top of the pile, means for buckl ng saiddisplaced sheets, and means for abnormally displacing the uppermostsheet While it is held buckled.

13. in a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for bucklingthe top sheets, means for holding the top sheet its center againstbuckling, and means for intermittently exerting pressure upon Enckledportions of said top sheet on each side of its center.

i. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for operatingupon the lateral extremities of the sheet to buckle the same, means forholding the center of the sheet against buckling, and means "forkneading the sheet at points between its cen ter and each side, forproducing undulations to distribute the air under the sheet and effectits separation from the pil 15. in. a paper feeding mechanism, thecombination oi? inc-ins ior displacing the top sheet or sheets, pickingfingers for moving the top sheet only, inclined faces arranged in frontof the edges of the top sheet, to curl said advancing when said sheet ismoved. by said picking fingers, and sepa rating fingers adapted to passbeneath the curled edge of the sheet to engage the sheet and feed itforward.

16. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of picking fingers fordisplac ing the top sheet, inclined resisting faces in advance of theedges of said displaced. sheet, and curling members for coi'i 'icratingwith the said resisting faces, to eilect a curl at the ed of thedisplaced sheet as the same is forced over said resisting faces.

displacing the top sheet, means for buckling combination oi inc aratingfingers for enga sheet and initially inovin of its ieed.

18. En a paper feeding mechanism, the a e combination of means -for hur,g the to sheet, picking lin 'ers which successively engage each topsrieet at the hue on thereof, whereby are 1, force air under s id topsheet and effect its separation, and o fi gers i gaging the top sis.free to move.

19. a combination 0; iifl'bci. sheet or sheets, in the toe'sheet is foreforcing the top sheet o faces, means for curling top sheet as it isforced over faces, and separatin? the buckled portion 20. In a paper ILL i. said. too sheet is engaging With said top sheet its in portions,said separating lingers comprising a head portion ig inclined sheife39tensions for rassing der the top fil ln a paper iecding mechanism, thecombination of converging ni Thor? for buckling the top sheet, til I ifor engag'ag said top sheet, and means for rocking said frictionelements While in en gageinent "ith said top sheet iinpel the sheetbetween the members.

paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for buckling theunperinost sheets, ..'.iction elements, arms fer moving said frictionelements into and out of engagement with sheet, "whereby to produce anunduiatory movement of the buckled sheets, a pendently of sai frictionelements a liter engagement 1' 23. lo a paper 11182218 for buokiiir M5the pile, said means ci'nnprising cor-merging faces which engage thelateral. edges of the sheand produce such buckliii geii ect as thesheetsare elevated, suckling inrans also having longitudinally converginihces whereby the sheets are fur ther buckled as are dis aced laterally.

21-. in a pap eding mechanism, combination of buckling m ans havingtical converg ng elevating the pile of shoe 1 f feet such buckl alsoliai'in longitud. and iii-ea; in t i we 25. In a paper feedingmechanism, the combination of buckling faces designed to contact Withthe edges of the upper sheets, said faces converging vertically andhorizontally, means for elevating the pile of sheets to force themagainst said buckling faces, picking fingers for moving the top sheetlaterally, said picking fingers producing a pulsation in the buckledsheets so as to distribute air therebetween, means for restrainingthecentral portions of the sheets against buckling, and separating fingersfor operating upon the top sheet when presented there/5.. by the pickingfingers.

26. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for elevatinga stack of sheets, means for bodily displacing the top sheet on thestack in the line of feeding movement, and means adapted to engage saidlast mentioned sheet-to feed it forward at an accelerated speed.

27. In a paper feeding machine, the conr bination of means for elevatinga stack of sheets, means for buckling the uppermost sheets on the stackas it is elevated, and picking fingers adapted to. displace the top mostsheet bodily on the stack and at the same time impart an undulatorymovement to the subjacent buckled sheets.

28. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for moving asheet longitudinally, members adapted to engage the lateral extremitiesof said sheet to cause it to buckle when fed longitudinally, and membersadapted to engage beneath said sheet when buckled and feed it forward.

29. In a paper feeding mechanism, the combination of means for elevatingsheets, laterally disposed delivery bands traveling above the sheetwhen, in delivery position, said delivery bands being provided withdepending members adapted to carry the sheet, and means for manipulatingthe sheet to place it in position to be engaged by said dependingmembers.

30. In a. paper feeding machine, the com bination of means for elevatinga stack of sheets, delivery bands provided with depending membersadapted to engage beneath a sheet, and means for separating the topsheet from the stack and placing it in the path of movement of saiddepending memhers, said separating means including mechanism forimparting the initial movement to said sheet.

In testimony whereof I hereunto my signature in the presence of twowitnesses, this 22nd day of July, 1911. r

ORPH W. COWGILL.

Witnesses:

F. R. CORNWALL, LILY Rosa.

